Dallas Cowboys 'Secret' 30 Visit with 6-8, 350-Pound Canadian Lineman: 'Freak' in The Draft
The NFL Draft may be less than three weeks away, but there are still some under-the-radar prospects looking to make a name for themselves.
Enter Giovanni Manu, a 6-8, 352-pound little-known offensive lineman from the University of British Columbia who has managed to turn some heads during the pre-draft process. According to 3 Down Nation, 16 of 32 NFL teams reportedly attended Manu's pro day on March 29, and seven of them have scheduled visits with him.
The Dallas Cowboys got in front of the pack with a 30 Visit to The Star, though, as they were the first of those teams to have a visit with Manu, as our colleague Jordan Schultz is first to note ... and one can see why maybe the Cowboys will want to keep on Manu as the draft approaches.
"Here’s a fun one: The best kept secret in the NFL Draft is Tongan OT Giovanni Manu, who checks in at a freakish 6.073, 352lbs. Manu ran 4.96 at his Pro Day, which featured half the league in attendance. He also verted [vertical jump] 33.5 inches," Schultz wrote on X.
Even though other teams have visits with Manu lined up, the Cowboys being first should give them an advantage over the competition. Additionally, the Cowboys place heavy emphasis on their top-30 visits, which shows how much Manu has caught their eye.
It's also worth noting that the Cowboys have the only active NFL player from UBC, that being offensive lineman Dakoda Shepley.
Over his five years with the Thunderbirds, Manu put together quite the prolific career. He earned All-Canadian honors in each of his last two seasons while playing both left tackle and left guard.
The Tongan-born tackle is aiming to become the first player in U Sports football, the highest amateur level of amateur Canadian football, to be drafted since 2016. Two players, Deane Leonard and Tavius Robinson, played U Sports football, but both players transferred to Ole Miss before entering the draft.
The interst in Manu suggests that he could break that drought, and if the Cowboys are lucky and proactive enough, perhaps he could suit up for them down the line.